Forwarded Message:-

OUTBREAK! THE CURRENT corona virus threat is on the news everywhere.

The children were hearing about it. My teenage son was naturally curious
about viruses, mutations, origins and what was happening.
Taking the opportunity, I decided to explore the issue and connect it to Islam.
It’s important to show that Islam has a view on all issues and gives guidance.
‫ك ٰٱسلمك ىتن ن‬
‫ب ٰتمسب ىيِنةناً ٰللمكلل ٰنشسىءء ٰنوهمةدى ٰنونرسحنمةة ٰنوبمسشنرىى ٰلمسلممسسلممميِنن‬ ‫نوننززسلنناً ٰنعلنسيِ ن‬
‘And We have sent down to you the Book as clarification for all things and as
guidance and mercy and good tidings for the Muslims.’ (an-Nahl 89)
1. Controlling disease spread
The images of cities on lockdown, scanning travellers at airports and stations
and empty streets can be scary.
But this is not new for Muslims. When it comes to highly contagious
communicable diseases, Islam has given guidance.
Whilst they probably didn’t have novel coronavirus in the time of the Prophet
‫ﷺ‬, they did have the plague.
The Prophet ‫ ٰﷺ‬said, "If you hear about it (the plague) in a land that you are
in, do not run away from it, and if you hear that it broke out in a certain land,
do not enter that land." (Bukhari)
The second part of this hadith is pretty obvious, but the first part is more
difficult to realise.
The natural response of a person confronted with a highly contagious disease
is to run.
However, the hadith is clear not to run. What would motivate a person not to
run though?
The Prophet ‫ ٰﷺ‬gave an incentive like no other. He said: ‘plague was a
punishment which Allah used to send on whom He wished, but Allah made it
a blessing for the believers. None (among the believers) remains patient in a
land in which plague has broken out and considers that nothing will befall him
except what Allah has ordained for him, but that Allah will grant him a reward
similar to that of a martyr.’ (Bukhari)
The reward of the shuhada (the martyrs) is amongst the greatest rewards of
all in Islam and it is given to the one who is patient and does not leave the
area of plague. This is tied with Islamic concepts of tawaqqul and knowing
that life and death lie solely in His ‫ ٰﷻ‬hands.
But it’s not just quarantine that Islam institutes. Basic hygiene that prevents
transmission is well known.
‘Whenever the Messenger of Allah ‫ ٰﷺ‬sneezed, he would cover his mouth with
his hand or a piece of cloth...’ (at-Tirmidhi).
Washing hands, wudhu, ghusl and personal hygiene are all strong aspects of
Islam.
Islam, therefore, lays down the basis of controlling disease spread.
2. Prevention is better than cure.
How much of what we are seeing is man-made?
In Islam there is an understanding of halal and tayyib (pure). This applies to
what we eat, how we farm, how we look after and transport livestock etc.
There is certainly Divine wisdom in this, that we may or may not be aware of.
Many practices these days are far from normal.
Back in the 90’s there was an outbreak of mad cow disease. It was later
shown to be the result of producers, under pressure to make cheaper meat,
grinding up the remains of dead livestock and feeding it back to their herds to
save money on grain. Really! Did no one think that turning herbivores into
cannibals was going to be a bad thing to do?
3. Punishment, test or reminder?
The inevitable question that always arises is why?
Is this Allah’s ‫ ٰﷻ‬punishment on a people for their disobedience and
oppression upon others? Especially considering what the Chinese government
is doing to Uyghur Muslims?
Is He ‫ ٰﷻ‬testing the Chinese people so that they may return to His
remembrance?
Is He ‫ ٰﷻ‬reminding the Muslims of His power? Or responding to the dua of the
oppressed? Or highlighting how the Muslim rulers have truly failed the
Uyghurs and how utterly useless they are? Or that we all too need to take
heed before trials befall us?
It could be any or all of these.
A Muslim should always take heed. Be fearful of Allah’s ‫ ٰﷻ‬punishment, be
reminded of his shortcomings and push ahead to bear his responsibilities
according to his capabilities.
4. Finding a cure.
The Prophet ‫ ٰﷺ‬said, ‘“There is no disease that Allah has sent down except
that He also has sent down its treatment.’ (Bukhari).
Unfortunately, we do not think of Muslims at the forefront of medicine. But
there was a time that we were. This ummah invented hospitals and trained
doctors.
The state and rulers saw it their duty to look after their citizens.
Khalifah Umar al Khattab (ra) said: ‘If a lost sheep under my care were to die
on the banks of the Euphrates, I would expect Allah the Exalted to question
me about it on the Day of Resurrection.” (Ḥilyat al-Awliyā’ 137)
If that was his view of the animals, what do you think his concern for humans
was?
Our scientists were motivated by Allah’s ‫ ٰﷻ‬reward,
‫ن ٰنونمسن ٰأنسحنيِاًنهاً ٰفننكأ ننزنماَ ٰأنسحنيِاً ٰٱلزناً ن‬
ً‫س ٰنجمميِةعا‬
‘If anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind.’ (al
Maeda 32)
Sadly, today in the absence of Islam, it is all about the money. ‘Third world’
and poor man’s diseases are not considered worth spending money on. At
least that is, if it doesn’t spread!
We’ve seen this time and time again with previous outbreaks. For instance,
Ebola has been around for 40 years and vaccines could have been developed
but weren’t because it was seen as an African problem.
Private pharmaceutical companies only invest in that which will make them
profit. It is no wonder that there is so much inequality in health where ‘the
rich get the best care,’ and ‘the poor are left to die.’
Conclusion
These are just some ideas that can be raised with children to show Islam’s
relevance to today’s problem. To assure them, to inspire them.
‫ل ٰفنسليِنتننوُزكمل ٰٱسلممسؤمممنوُنن‬
‫ل ٰلننناً ٰهمنوُ ٰنمسوُلنىىنناً ٰنونعنلى ٰٱ ز م‬
‫ب ٰٱ ز م‬ ‫مقل ٰزلن ٰيم م‬
‫صيِبننناَ ٰإمزل ٰنماً ٰنكتن ن‬
Say: "Nothing shall ever happen to us except what Allah has ordained for us.
He is our Maula (Lord, Helper and Protector)." And in Allah let the believers
put their trust.’ (Tauba 51)